Staff Reports
Kamala Harris’ campaign has recently served up a political dish that one wouldn’t exactly find in a five-star restaurant. Multiple reports indicate that her team is cooking the books—well, not literally, but they are certainly cooking the search results. An Axios investigation has revealed that her campaign is running ads on Google that look suspiciously like actual news articles, complete with headlines designed to evoke the names of reputable media giants such as The Guardian, Reuters, and CBS News. Talk about trying to use a false identity to score political points.
While it’s no surprise that the Vice President is trying to cozy up to major news outlets, it’s quite another to deceive voters into thinking those outlets have thrown their weight behind her campaign. A spokesperson from The Guardian expressed more than just confusion; they hinted at the absolute gall of using their brand without proper permission. It seems Harris is making moves that blur the line between political promotion and journalistic integrity—an endeavor that would earn any savvy marketer a gold star, but raises eyebrows about the ethics of such tactics in the political arena.
𝐍𝐄𝐖: Google is pushing pro-Kamala propaganda…
Are we really surprised?
Just last week, Google was found guilty of monopolizing the search market.. #Corruption #Google pic.twitter.com/6wc2cc1505
— legislation (@legislationpage) August 14, 2024
Now, in the world of advertising, this kind of mimicry doesn’t technically break Google’s rules, which, one might argue, just highlights how subjective those rules can be when it comes to shaping narratives. The ads are labeled as sponsored content, but the average internet scroller might not notice that the accompanying text is less newsworthy insight and more political spin straight from Team Harris. Meanwhile, the Trump campaign has avoided using such trickery. It’s almost bizarrely humorous how one campaign can operate with a fair amount of integrity while another plays it fast and loose—with the news cycle, no less.
What adds a pinch of drama to this unfolding tale is the fact that several major news outlets are caught up in Harris’ web of ads since early August. From NPR to CNN, these established institutions have seen their content twisted into whatever narrative Harris hopes to promote. It’s a precarious dance, as tech platforms grapple with the fine line between transparency and operational efficiency. Google may feel its frameworks are robust enough to sidestep incidents of voter deception, but when notable media names get dragged unwittingly into political antics, it raises serious concerns about impartiality.
As if to remind everyone that the show must go on, Democrats have rallied behind Harris with the fervor of a political pep rally since Joe Biden’s unexpected drop-out announcement last month. He has thrown his support behind her, setting the stage for an electrifying Democratic National Convention. Harris is keeping pace, heading out for events with her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, apparently ensuring their campaign remains the center of attention. As the political circus unfolds, one can’t help but reflect on the curious lengths campaigns will go to maintain their grip on the narrative—manipulated ads and all.
